Category Archives: Planet Hollywood

Harrah’s does it again (and again … and again)

Posted on September 9, 2010 by David McKee

Hey, Gary Loveman, don’t let the doorknob hit you in the butt as you skedaddle out of Kansas for the second time. Ever-fickle, Harrah’s Entertainment turned tail and ran from the Sunflower State on the very date its Wichita-area proposal … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, California, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Shuffle Master, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 6 Comments

From the mailbag

Posted on July 30, 2010 by David McKee

A mystery illness has debilitated me off and on (more “on” than “off,” sadly) for the past seven days. Fortunately, lively reader debate in the “Comments” threads have kept things ticking over nicely in my absence. Also, I sometimes get … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, IGT, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

Margaritaville on the rocks

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

Long-serving — and long-suffering — Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway has lost patience with Harrah’s Entertainment. He is convinced that the metamorphosis of Grand Casino Biloxi into Margaritaville Casino is kaput and that Harrah’s will tear down what little it has … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Animals, Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Encore, Environment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Holy Cow, Indiana, International, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Movies, Pennsylvania, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Cosmo: Blueprint for failure?

Posted on July 1, 2010 by David McKee

Geez, I’ve not been feeling pessimistic about the Dec. 15 debut of the Cosmopolitan … until somebody forwarded me a copy of a Bill Lerner analysis of the property. Now I’m worried. After walking the place, Lerner found it to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Cool breeze from Macao; Harrah’s panty raid stymied

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

One of Stanley Ho‘s lieutenants has scanned the 2010 horizon and doesn’t like what he sees. Sociedade de Jogos de Macau division president Frank McFadden believes VIP play will soften in 3Q-4Q10, as stock-market losses take their toll (a viewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, James Packer, Kansas, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 6 Comments

When bad things happen to bad people … plus Cher

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

Two of the three casinos that say they were stiffed for $822,000 by ex-Boston Celtic Antoine Walker are now owned by Harrah’s Entertainment. The unlucky third is Red Rock Resort. Back “in the olden days” (a Sue Lowden-ism that’s quite … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Rearranging the deck chairs

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

Although bankruptcy at the Riviera is more a matter of “when” than “if,” the only casino in town with three CEOs hasn’t stopped trying on the entertainment front: In a town that has Frank Caliendo and Terry Fator, any impressionist … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

The Movable Buffet returns!

Posted on May 26, 2010 by David McKee

Once listed as one of S&G‘s “Seven Essential Web Sites,” Richard Abowitz‘s blog was briefly — and misguidedly — terminated by the Los Angeles Times. Thankfully, the LAT has had a change of heart. Abowitz returns with a profile of … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Marketing, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | 2 Comments

The Ribis Factor

Posted on May 21, 2010 by David McKee

Today’s a hectic one: four bylines due and not much time for S&G. However, I am the beneficiary of some number-crunching conducted by a reader, who’s been following the decline and fall of Colony Capital‘s two Atlantic City casinos under … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Paging Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

When it comes to bankruptcy, the Fertitta Brothers are pikers compared to magician Steve Wyrick, whose eponymous “entertainment complex” went “Poof!” last Dec. 10. At the time, Wyrick harangued LVA for announcing the closure, saying his return was imminent. We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

While Atlantic City burns …

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

While Atlantic City burns, Gov. Chris Christie fiddles. After coming into office saying the right things about helping the state’s casino industry, Christie has spent most of first months in office dithering uselessly. Having waited until A) the Revel project … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Sheldon’s smokin’ (something)

Posted on April 30, 2010 by David McKee

If any other gaming CEO than Sheldon Adelson opened the most expensive casino ever ($5.5 billion) and projected it would recoup its tab in five years — requiring a return on investment well above 20% when you take operating costs … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Harrah’s big buffet bungle

Posted on April 30, 2010 by David McKee

Let it be said at the outset that $39.99 for X number of meals at (most of) Harrah’s Entertainment‘s Strip buffets — up from $29.99 — is still one heckuva deal. If you can manage, say, breakfast, lunch and two … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off

Harrah’s red-headed stepchild

Posted on April 23, 2010 by David McKee

If we (you, me, everybody) had a dollar for ever time we heard a rumor that Harrah’s Entertainment was putting The Rio on the block, we could pool enough moolah to amortize CEO Gary Loveman‘s recent $100,000 pay cut. Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Current, Economy, George Maloof, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Laughlin, Planet Hollywood, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Ozzy has left the building

Posted on April 22, 2010 by David McKee

Rock-based revues and tribute shows are biting the dust left and right, according to our LVA research staff. As the Riviera (whose workforce has been allegedly reduced by 60%) creeps toward the grave, Masters of Rock preceded it last Saturday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Harrah’s robbing Peter to buy Paul

Posted on April 15, 2010 by David McKee

When executives of Harrah’s Entertainment credit “hard-nosed” negotiating tactics for their success is reducing the company’s preposterous debt level, one suspects that threats of default and bankruptcy serve as the rhetorical equivalents of the rubber hose and brass knuckles. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, The Strip, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Harrah’s ups the ante

Posted on April 9, 2010 by David McKee

Yr. Humble Blogger is a fan of the Las Vegas buffet scene — and owns the waistline to prove it. Starting Monday, Harrah’s Entertainment ratchets up the temptation factor by keeping seven of its Strip buffets open round the clock. … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, George Maloof, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | 2 Comments

From the S&G Twitter feed …

Posted on April 5, 2010 by David McKee

It’s a crazy day here and I’m deeply enmeshed in reportage (hint: it involves Station Casinos) so I’d like to take up some of the blogging slack by once more pimping the S&G Twitter feed (@stiffsgeorges), which can also be … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Archon Corp., Bally Technologies, Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Technology, Wall Street | Comments Off

Confidence or desperation?

Posted on March 31, 2010 by David McKee

Casino operators must be feeling very bullish about recent, incremental increases in visitation to Las Vegas, even though customers continue to spend less. (This is the new business model which the industry as a whole is loath to acknowledge: being … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 2 Comments

A Cosmopolitan by any other name …

Posted on March 22, 2010 by David McKee

… is still a long way from completion. A silly lawsuit has been settled, an extremely cosmetic change of name has been agreed upon (meaning that Cosmo The Casino is the de facto winner over Cosmo The Mag). We’re told … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Station Casinos | 3 Comments